Internal-combustion engine



1,624,277 12 1927' H. A. NORDWICK ET AL INTERNAL GOMBUSTI ON ENGINEOriginal Filed Jan, 19. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTORS HenryANordurick mad PmI/L cf. Marvhetl/i/ ATTO R N EY Patented 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. NOBDWICK AND PAUL J. HABCHET'II, O l STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.ASSIGN- OBS, BY DIRECT AND KEBNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DUPLEX IOTOBCOHPANY 'OESAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA.

mamu oouaus'non Enema.

Application filed January 1a, 1925; semi 110. 3,252. Renewed June a,1828.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and particularlyrepresents an necting rods of the pistons acting on a com- 7monfouf-stroke cam. In the present engine, this general type of cam isretained, but the cylinders are arranged in line as m ordinary gasengine or automobile practice, and there is one cam for each cylinder,each piston completing of course a four-stroke movement for eachrevolution of the shaft.

The cam used is what may be termed the single track type, with nothingin itself for preventing the connecting rod rollers from movingoutwardly of the cam or jumplng when at the top of their strokes. V

The former engine showed a structure for preventing such movement, butthis structure necessitated a complete unit for each cylinder, and addedmuc weight, complication of parts, and expense to the engine.

. The principal object of the present invention therefore is to providea simple device, interposed between and connected to the connecting rodsof adjacent cylinders, for positively equalizing and distributing theworking pressure over both rods and their cams, and at the same timeholding the connecting rod rollers against their cams 'in a manner suchthat any tendency of the rollers to jump from their cams is prevented atall times.

A further object of the invention is to provide means, arranged inconnection with the equalizing means, whereby the same effective resultsare obtained even after wear develops with continuous usage of theengine.

While we have above stated that this mvention relates particularly tointernal combustion engines, we do not wish to be limited by this formalstatement, as it is obvious that cylinders operated by steam or othersuitable mediums may be substituted for the common form of internalcombustion cylinders, as is within the power of an engineer or finishedmechanic to design.

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and I relativearrangement of parts as will now. be more fully described.

In the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views, in which:

Fig. 1 isa vertical section of the engine taken through one of thecylinders.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the en-' gine taken below thecylinders.

F 1g. 3 is a vertical section taken vintermediate a pair of cylinders,as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the numerals of reference on thedrawings, the

numeral 1 denotes the u per or main por-' tion of the crank case 0 theengine, journaled in which -is a straight longitudinal shaft 2,corresponding to the usual crankshaft, but without the cranks. Fixed onthe shaft 2 in longitudinally spaced relation are the main operatingcams 3, preferably of the four-stroke or two-point type as shown in theabove mentioned co ending application, though single or multip e pointcams may be employed if desired.

Mounted on the case 1 in vertical aline ment with the shaft and directlyabove the different cams are cylinders 4, arranged in as many units oftwo as may be desired. In the resent instance two such units, makmg aour cylinder engine, are shown.

I In each cylinder is a piston 5 from which depends a connecting rod 6having turnably mounted on its lower end a roller 7 which bears on theouter face of the corresponding cam 2.

The cams of adiacent cylinders are disposed at right ang es to eachother, so that when the roller of one rod is on the low point of its camand the corresponding pis ton is at the bottom of its stroke, the rollerof the other rod will be on the-.high' point of its cam, and .thecorresponding piston will beat the top of its stroke, and vice 1 versa.7 The cams are so designed that this I op osed relation of the pistonsto each other wi l he maintained at all periods of the differentstrokes. In other words, when one piston for instance is half way downon its firing stroke, the other piston will be. half way up on itscompression stroke, and so n.

Mounted in the case 1 to 'one'side of {the shaft 2 and disposed in ahorizontal plane centrally between the top and bottom positions of therollers 7 are shafts 8, one for each cylinder and arranged incontinuously alined pairs.

Pinned onto each of the shafts 8 is a double-armed swing rod member 9,extending to and making a straddling and'pivotal connection with thepivotal connection of the corresponding rod 6 and its roller 7.

Fixed on the adjacent shafts 8 in opposed order and facing each otherare segmental bevel gears 10 which constantly mesh with a bevel pinion11 disposed therebetween. This pinion is turnable on a horizontal andtransversely disposed shaft 12, one end of which is formed with a sleeve13 which is turnably mounted on the adjacent ends of the shafts 8between the gears 10. The op posite end of the shaft 12, which is beyondthe vertical axial line of the cylinders, is provided with a horizontalpad 14 which forms a seat for the lower end of a stifi compressionspring 15. The upper end of this spring is seated in a cup 16 which hasa stem 17 threaded through the top of the case 1. This stem is arrangedto be turned so that the cup may be raised or lowered, thus enabling thepressure of the spring to be altered at will.

The action of the spring is to cause the teeth of the pinion 11 toconstantly press down on the teeth of the gears 10, which pressure is ofcourse transferred to the arms 9 to exert a similar downward pressure onthe rollers 7, keeping them in constant and forceful engagement with thecams at all times.

It will be noted that since the pinion teeth are in constant mesh onopposite sides with the opposed gears 10, the pinion cannot rotatewithout imparting movement to both gears. The spring pushing down on thepinion therefore causes the opposed teeth on said pinion to bear downwith equal pressure on both gears, which pressure will be maintainedregardless of the positions of the gears relative to each other or oftheir direction of movement.

Also by reason of the spring, wear as it develops, either .in the gearteeth or between the rollers and cams, is automatically taken care of. a

The faces. of the'cams are madeof such contour that each has a. relationto the other which will permit the connecting-rod roller I to-traversethe faces of the cams in such a manner .,;that will not cause movementof the shaft 12 and the consequent flexing of the spring 15. I

On account of the fact that the connecting-{rods of adjacent cylindersare connected to'ieach other by the swing rods and the intermediategearing, the usually unequal strains otherwise placed on the cams byreason of the variation of pressures acting on the pistons, is avoided.'The sudden sharp downward pressure or thrust on one piston during thefiring stroke thereof is partially absorbed by the oppositely disposedand upwardly moving piston which is operatively connected to the first.piston independently of the main cams. The balance of the force of theexplosion is absorbed by the main cam and converted into turning efforton the main shaft.

There is none of the usual hammering action of the rollers on .the facesof the cams due to the fact that the rollers are held against the camsby the action of the spring 15, and therefore there is no lost motion orslack at the time of the explosion. The only chan e is in the intensityof the load on the rolfizrs due to the explosion.

The cylinders are preferably of the l. head type with valves 18 ofcommon form on the side opposite to the shafts 8. The push rods ortappets 19 of all the valves are mounted in guides 20 in the case 1, andare engaged on their lower ends by individual rocking arms 21, one foreach valve. These arms extend across and above the shaft 2, and areturnably mounted on a horizontal shaft 22 fixed in the case under theshafts 8.

Tntermediate its ends each arm 21 carries a roller 23 which bears on acam 24 preferably provided with the hub 25 of the corresponding cam 3 inproperly disposed relation to the form of ithe latter. The main shaft 2therefore serves as a valve cam shaft, which can be done since eachpiston moves through its full four-stroke cycle with each revolution ofthe shaft.

The cams being arranged in oppositely dis osed pairs and being ofsymmetrical out ine, perfect balance of the shaft is had.

While the above d'escriptio'n sets forth in detail the present andpreferred emb diment of the invention, we reserve the ri ht to make suchchanges as do not depart from the spirit of the invention, as defined bythe appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid engine including a shaft, a air of cylinders disposed inlongitudinal a inement therewith, pistons in the cylinders, drive meansbetween the'pistons and shaft arranged to cause the pistons toreciprocate in oppositely timed relation to each other, and meansbetween the pistons independent of the drive means whereby pressureapplied to one piston in one direction is transmitted to the otherpiston to act on the latter in the opposite direction.

2. A fluid engine including a shaft, a pair of cylinders, pistons in thecylinders, cam means on the shaft, means between the cam means andpistons arranged to cause the pistons to reciprocate in o positely timedrelation to each other, an 'means between the istons independent of thecam means wherey pressure applied to one piston in one direction istransmitted to the other piston to act on the latter in the o positedirection.

. 3. A H id en ine inclu ing a shaft, a pair of cylin ers, pistons inthe cylinders, cams on the shaft, there being one cam for each cylinder,connecting rods attached to the pistons, cam engaging members on theouter ends of the rods riding on the outer faces of the cams, the latterbeing disposed at right angles to each other to cause the pistons toreciprocate in oppositely timed relation to each other, and a structiireconnected to both connecting rods for holding the cam engaging means onthe cams atall times.

4. A device as in claim 3, in which said structure acts to distribute toboth pistons, independent of the cams, a pressure applied to one piston.

5. A device as in claim 3, in which said structure also acts to equallydistribute a pressure applied to one tons and their connecte cams.

6. A fluid engine including a shaft, a pair of c linders, pistons in thecylinders, cams on t e shaft, there being one cam for each cylinder,connecting rods attached to the pistons, cam engaging members on theouter ends of the rods riding on the cams, the latter being disposed atright angles to each other to cause the pistons to reciprocate inoppositely timed relation to each other, swing arms pivotally mounted atone end in a fixed osition relative to the connecting rods and pivotallyconnected at the other end to the connecting rods, and means com-v monto both swing rods for causing the latter to constantly exert a downwardpressure parts and over th or the cam engaging means of both connectmg'rods with their respective -cams at all periods of their strokes.

7. A fluid en ine including a shaft, a pair of cylinders, plistons inthe cylinders, cam means on the s aft, connecting rods attached to thepistons, cam engaging members on the outer ends of the rods riding onthe cams, the latter being disposed to cause the pistons to reciprocatein oppositely timed relation to each other, swing rods pivotally mountedat one end in a fixed position relative to the connecting rods anddpivotally connected at the-other end to sai connecting rods, and meanscommon to both swing rods for caus- Eiston, over both'pising the latterto reciprocate in oppositely timed relation inde endent of. the movementimparted thereto with the movement of the connecting rods.

8. A fluid engine including a shaft, a pair of cylinders, pistons in thecylinders, cam means on the shaft, connecting rods attached to thepistons, cam en aging members on the outer ends of the rods riding onthe cams, the latter being disposed to cause the pistons to reciprocatein oppositely timed relation to each other, swing rods pivotally mountedin a fixed position relative to the connecting rods at one end and atthe other end being pivotally connected to said connecting rods, gearsfacing each other and mounted in connection with the swing rods at theirrelatively fixed ends, and a pinion interposed between said gears andmeshing constantly with both.

9. A structure as in claim 8, in which means is applied to the pinion tocause the swing rods to constantly exert a pressure against both camengaging members causing the latter to be positively engaged with thecams at all times.

10. A structure as in claim 8, in which a means acts on the pinion tocause the teeth of the pinion and gears to remain in frictional -enagement. along those races thereof which wi 1 cause the swing rods toconstantly bear down toward the cam means regardless of the direction ofreciprocating movement of said rods..

11. A structure as in claim 6, in which said means. comprises bevelgears mounted axially with the swing rods at their relatively fixedends, a bevel pinion interposed between and meshing with both gears, ashaft on which the pinion is turnably mounted, said shaft at one endbeing turnably journaled concentric with but independent of the gears,and spring. means acting on the outer end of the s aft and tending to"swing the same about its journal in a direction which will cause theteeth of the pinion and gears to remain in frictional engagement alongthe faces thereof which will press the swing rods at their outer endsconstantly toward the cam means.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

I HENRY A. NORDWIOK.

PAUL J. MARCHETTI.

